Whiffletree-coupling



(No Model.)

0 LA BAIE WHIFFLETREE COUPLING.

Patented Nov. 4, 1890-.

' IIIII/IIIIIIIIIII/I/Ilr/ Witnesses" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER J. LA BAIE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WHlFFLETREE-COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,802, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed July 24:, 1890. Serial No. 359,743. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OLIVER J. LA BAIE, of Buifalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on Whiffletree-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to improvements in whiffletree-couplings; and it consists, essentially,in the novcland peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fullyset forth and described, and then pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings already referred to, Figure 1 is a plan of athill and whiffietree employing my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of my device. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation in line Y Y of Fig. 2 and illustrating the means of attachment to the whiffle and cross tree. Fig. 4 is a plan of my device, showing the plates swung apart. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a modification of my device.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

The object of this invention is the production of a suitable whiffietree-coupling that can be cheaply produced, and which can be readily fastened to the whiflie and cross tree of the thills, and at the same time to provide means whereby the whiffletree may be detached without loosening the device, it being a further object to produce a device in which bolts as a connecting mechanism are entirely dispensed with. To attain this result I 0011- struct my coupling as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, and in which A represents the thills, and A the cross-tree thereof, A being the whiffietrce to which my device is applied.

B, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, represents the lower plate of my coupling, and which is attached to the cross-tree of the thills by screws passing through apertures 19 b in said plate and into the tree, as shown in Fig. 3. This plate is provided at its rear extremity with a downwardly-pendent flange O, which has apertures for the reception of screws, and with a curved protuberance or boss O, within which and passing vertically through the same is a circular aperture 0, having alongitudinal groove 0. At the opposite extremity of this plate, and on the u ppersurface thereof is provided a projection D, extending across the face of the same and having its inner or rear edge of the curvature of an arc of a circle having its center in the center of the aperture 0 in the boss 0'. This edge is provided with a groove d of proper dimensions, following the line-of curvature of the same.

Over the plate B, hereinbefore referred to, fits a plate B, which is fastened to the whiffietree A by means of screws 9, Fig. 3, passing through apertures e e, Fig. 4, and at its rear extremity a downwardly-pendent pintle or pivot F, corresponding in size with the aperture 0 in the boss 0' of the plate 13, in which it is adapted to fit. This pintle has at its lower extremity a nose f, fitting the groove 0, and which is so arranged on said pintle that when the plates are directly over each other, as in Fig. 2, the said nose will be diametrically opposite the groove 0 in the aperture 0, so that when the parts are in this position they are securely locked together, but at the same time may be removed from each other by revolving one of the plates onehalf revolution and withdrawing the pintle from the aperture. The plate B is provided ,near its forward extremity with a projection d, fitting the groove d, so that all strain brought upon said plate B will be received and taken up by the boss D. At the forward extremity of the plate B is located an upwardly-projecting flange E for the reception of screws to fasten the same to the whiffietree.

This device has numerous advantages over the usual bolt mechanism, some of which may be enumerated as follows: First, it can more readily be attached, as well as detached, from the thills than the usual devices now used; it is more accessible for oiling when necessary, a matter which is now impossible, or nearly so, in using the present devices; it provides for a stronger whiffletree, it not being necessary to perforate the same for the insertion of the bolt, as welllas a much neater one, and it 'ever upon the pintle F, it being all received and taken up by the upper plate bearing against the lower one at the groove (1. The only function andoffice of the pintle F is to act as a pivot for the upper plate and to hold the parts together. It is evident that the purpose of the groove d is to prevent the upper plate B from being lifted off. from the lower plate B, and thereby injuring the device.

This device, as hereinbefore described, can be produced in malleable iron or brass in the process of casting, or of wrought metal by drop-forging, the parts requiring accurate fitting may be milled upon a suitable millingmachine, and the whole when finished can be nicely japanned or nickel or silver plated, thereby producing a very eflicient and handsome addition to the thills of buggies, carriages, and the like, and one which can be produced at a very low figure.

Having thus fully described myinventiou, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination, with the plate B, having the apertured projection and flange at its rear extremity and the grooved projection on its upper surface, of the plate B, having the projection on its lower surface engaging said grooved projection, and the pivot at its rear extremity formed integral with said plate B and engaging said apertured projection, in a manner substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the plate B, having the projection D and groove d, the projection 0', having the aperture 0 and groove 0, and the flange O, of the plate B, having the flange E and groove (1, the pivot F, and nose f, substantiallyas and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim .the foregoing as my invention I have hereto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER J. LA BAIE.

Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, A VVM. O. STARK. 

